


Time Passages

by dkwilliams



Category: Torchwood
Genre: M/M, None - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-04-27 07:44:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5039869
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dkwilliams/pseuds/dkwilliams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Ianto loses everything following the Battle of Canary Wharf, can he make a new life for himself at Torchwood Three?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Time Passages

**Author's Note:**

> (see end of story for full request details) For the most part, I used the published timeline, but changed the Battle of Canary Wharf to early May instead, to give Ianto time to stalk Torchwood Three. This was written for The Stopwatch's Holiday Bang

_Retroactive Diary entry: June 5, 2006_

_Director Linley called me into her office to discuss my future with Torchwood, a discussion that looks to have changed my life forever..._

 

  
"Mr. Jones, come in."

Ianto Jones entered the office of the Acting Director of Torchwood London, carefully closed the door behind him, and took a seat in the uncomfortable plastic chair set before the desk. He resisted the urge to check his tie (again), settled the sling on his left arm at a better angle, and shifted slightly in an attempt to find a more comfortable position as he waited for the Director to look up from the folder in front of her. As he waited, he couldn't help scanning the office for clues about his new boss, as she'd been outside his normal range of contacts, before Canary Wharf. After - well, that was a different story for all of them.

Louisa Linley (Loo-Linley to the less kindly among Torchwood's remaining staff) had been the Assistant Security Director under the previous management. Her new office was as sparse and bland as all the other temporary offices, with only a single photo display on the shelf beside the desk, next to a nicked up brass placard that read "Stay Vigilant!" in large, strident type. He tried to get a better glimpse of the photo collage, but could only see enough to tell that it contained small, grainy snaps of different men, one who looked vaguely familiar. Her desk was bare of all else, except for a phone and a stack of file folders held down by a heavy paperweight.

"The initial triage report says that you sustained multiple injuries from being pinned for several hours under a collapsed wall. It's only been three weeks, but your doctor reports that you're ready to return to work," Linley said, looking up at last, and Ianto turned his attention back to her. She folded her hands, resting them on the open folder in front of her, and met his eyes directly. "Are you, Mr. Jones?"

"Yes, ma'am." His voice sounded a little harsh to his own ears and he cleared his throat. "I'd like to be busy, actually. It would help."

Linley's lips tightened slightly and she nodded, her short gray hair bobbing around her face. "I understand." She looked back down at the open folder. "You were with the Archival section as a Junior Researcher, right? Sorry - the personnel files are a bit of a mess, and there's no one in HR..."

Her voice trailed off but Ianto didn't need her to finish that sentence. The entire HR department had been converted, no survivors. Ianto tried not to think about the stories Lisa had told him about her office mates, about Stuart, the Boss from Hell, about Melissa, getting married at Christmas...

Linley cleared her throat, capturing his wandering attention. "Unfortunately, the likelihood of the Archives being reopened here within the next year is unlikely. Most of that section was destroyed, and both Torchwood Cardiff and Glasgow have taken charge of what artifacts remained."

Her lips tightened at that, obviously annoyed. Ianto couldn't blame her; the thought of his meticulously cataloged work being hauled off and stored in God only knew what jumble made his stomach clench, but realistically, he didn't know what else could have been done. The Archives had been torn apart, destroyed in the fighting between the Daleks and the Cybermen, most of the staff exterminated by the Daleks or crushed by falling walls. They were in no shape to safeguard dangerous alien technology.

"As for what to do with you, that's an even bigger problem. We won't have room in our offices here for months. I've placed one of our surviving staff with Glasgow, but Archie won't take any more. Cardiff, well..." She frowned at the papers on her desk and then looked up at him. "Medical says that you refused Retcon and Resettlement?"

Ianto swallowed hard and nodded. "I.... There was a girl, in HR. I don't want to forget her."

"You might be better off, Mr. Jones," Linley said frankly. "And you know the regulations."

Ianto nodded: retconning was standard for any terminated employee. "You mentioned Cardiff?"

"Torchwood Cardiff, under the administration of Captain Jack Harkness." Linley opened another folder and laid it down on the desk in front of him, then sat back in her chair, idly stroking the paperweight as she talked. "They could use an Archivist, haven't had one in years. Unfortunately, Captain Harkness refuses to have anything to do with Torchwood London - except for raiding our archives. I can't get you a transfer there."

Ianto looked at the folder open before him, at the large glossy black and white photo of a handsome man in a rather old-fashioned coat. The man appeared to stare out of the picture at him, an audacious grin on his face, inviting Ianto to laugh with him. And for the first time in a month, he could feel his own mouth twitch in response.

He flipped back the photo to read a summary of data on the man, then raised an eyebrow at what he read. _Recruited by Torchwood in 1869 as a freelance agent. Repeatedly refers to 'The Doctor' when inebriated. Extensive testing by Torchwood staff has proved subject is unable to remain dead. Bisexual, attracted to any good-looking man or woman. Suspected past Companion of the Doctor..._

A twinge of pain behind his eyes distracted him from his appraisal of the folder and he looked up to see Linley watching him intently. He flushed as he realized that once again he'd been staring at Harkness' picture with vapid absorption, although he couldn't remember flipping the photo back down. He closed the folder and put it back on the desk.

"I could talk to him," he said. "I could go there, talk to him in person. It's harder to turn someone down when they're standing in your office."

"You won't get past the front door," she warned him.

The headache intensified and he hoped he wasn't developing another migraine. "Then I'll talk to him outside the office."

"How will you manage that?"

He smiled wryly. "I'll research him, his movements and habits. That's my specialty, after all."

He rubbed at his temple with his free hand and tried to remember if he had any tablets left from his prescription or if he'd need to stop at the chemist on the way home.

"Are you all right, Mr. Jones?"

The headache receded and he nearly sighed with relief. "I'm fine." He indicated the file folder. "May I have a copy of that?"

Linley closed the folder and handed it to him. "Keep it. You'll need the other information on Harkness as well."

Ianto nodded and, with one last glance at the "Stay Vigilant" sign, he rose and headed for the door. Hearing the Director call his name, he turned back inquiringly.

"You have a month, Mr. Jones. If at the end of a month you've failed to secure employment with Torchwood Cardiff, I'm afraid we'll have to pursue the...alternate option."

Ianto swallowed hard. "I understand. It won't be necessary."

He couldn't lose Lisa again. And he needed to find the Doctor, his mortal enemy.

He'd get that job if it killed him.

* * *

 

 _And it just might_ , Ianto thought as the weevil lunged at him, slavering jaws reaching for his throat. Then, just when he thought he was done for, a flying tackle knocked the weevil away from him. He watched, bemused, as Captain Jack Harkness subdued the weevil and hooded it, then realized he was still holding the stick he'd used to attack the creature with and tossed it away.

"Thanks," he said, bracing himself against a tree with one hand as Harkness staggered to his feet. Field work was definitely tougher than he'd thought.

"No, thank _you_ ," Captain Harkness purred as his eyes flicked up and down Ianto's body, and belatedly, Ianto realized that he was practically posing for the man. _Bisexual,_ the file had said, and evidently it was right. He straightened up, trying not to blush, as the Captain said, "And you are?"

"Jones," Ianto said quickly. "Ianto Jones."

"Nice to meet you Jones, Ianto Jones," Harkness said, stepping forward to shake his hand, sex appeal oozing out of every pore. "Captain Jack Harkness."

 _He's even more mesmerizing in person,_ Ianto thought, then hastily turned his attention to the subdued creature. "Lucky escape," he said.

"I had it under control," Harkness said, his posture as cocky as his voice.

"Think so? Looked pretty vicious." He remembered seeing blood on Harkness' neck as he got up and stepped forward, reaching out to check the injury. "You're -" He paused, seeing that his neck was clear, unblemished, and Harkness flinched back. "You _were_ bitten."

The Captain gave him his charming smile but it didn't reach his eyes which were suddenly sharp and cold. "I've had worse shaving."

There was something odd there, but he was getting definite back-off vibes from Harkness. Afraid that the plan he'd spent two weeks crafting was going off the rails, he quickly turned his attention back to the creature. Time to inject a little mystery into their encounter, get Harkness to bite at the hook, he thought. "Looked like a weevil to me."

Harkness didn't even blink, but Ianto hadn't expected an overt reaction. "I have no idea what you're talking about." Ianto gave him a "don't give me that" look but the Captain just smiled and said, coolly, "I'll take it from here."

Ianto watched as Harkness lifted the weevil into a fireman's carry, then paused briefly beside him to say, with a fleeting smile, "Thanks for the assistance."

"Any time." Ianto watched as Harkness walked away, then gave into a sudden urge. "By the way," he called. "I love the coat."

If he'd been hoping for a response, he was doomed to disappointment for Harkness kept walking as if he hadn't heard. Ianto didn't know whether to hope that he had or not.

 

* * *

 

  
_Retroactive Diary entry: June 25, 2006_

_Today I met Captain Jack Harkness in person. I think I intrigued him, but it's hard to say..._

 

Ianto shivered in the cool Monday morning air as he stood waiting, coffee cup in hand, outside the deceptively innocuous tourism office that was, in reality, the entrance to Torchwood Three. Two weeks of surveillance, monitoring Captain Harkness and his team, had told him a lot about the Captain's habits. Enough, he hoped, to finally get an audience with the man this morning. He hoped that last night's adventure with the weevil had stirred the Captain's curiosity; his month of grace was nearly over and he only had a week to land this job.

The door to the office opened and Ianto took a deep breath. _Showtime_ , he thought, and pasted a smile on his face as Captain Harkness emerged.

"Morning!" he said cheerfully. To his credit, the Captain barely paused even though it was clear that he was surprised. Ianto held out the mug. "Coffee?"

He'd half-expected Harkness to refuse to accept it - after all, he was a stranger and the coffee could be laced with anything. But his observations had once again proven correct; Harkness accepted the dare and the mug, taking a large swallow.

Harkness' eyes widened in appreciation. "Wow," he said, handing the mug back with a smile, his eyes flicking down Ianto's body, assessing and apparently liking what he saw.

He took another deep breath. This was it. "I want to work for you."

The mildly interested look on Harkness' face disappeared, replaced by last night's coolness. "Sorry, no vacancies," he said flatly.

Ianto gritted his teeth and held onto his smile, saying persuasively, "Look, let me tell you about myself."

"Ianto Jones, born August 19, 1983," Harkness interrupted, obviously quoting from a report, and Ianto took heart from the fact that the Captain had been intrigued enough to check him out.

His momentary feeling of victory evaporated when Harkness began walking away, although he was still quoting from Ianto's file. "Able student but not exceptional. One minor conviction for shoplifting in your teens. A number of temporary jobs, mainly a drifter, until two years ago when you joined the Torchwood Institute in London. Junior researcher, girlfriend Lisa Hallet..."

Ianto hurried after him. "Deceased," he added, but Harkness didn't even pause as he said a polite "sorry".

This was impossible, trying to have a conversation with the man's back. "Look," Ianto said, grasping Harkness' sleeve and hurrying a bit to step in front of him. "You checked me out."

Harkness halted and looked at him squarely. "You knew what a weevil was. I thought I was going to have to come...deal with you."

"But instead you can see that I have the right qualifications for the job."

"There is no job," he said harshly. "We've nothing to do with Torchwood London. I severed all links." He started walking again: conversation over, decision made.

"But when it burned," Ianto persisted, once more grabbing his arm and forcing him to stop, to face him. "Two of your people scavenged the ruins."

"We don't want the equipment getting into the wrong hands."

Ianto tried not to take offense from the patronizing tone in the Captain's voice. "And you're the right hands, are you?" After all, it was he who had cataloged that equipment; surely Harkness' research would have shown him that. Who else had a right to the guardianship of it now?

Harkness stared at him impassively, clearly not in the least bit shamed by his lots' pillaging, and Ianto sighed. "Trial period," he offered. "Three months."

"No."

"Three weeks. Three days," he said. "Let me prove myself to you. I'll work for nothing."

"No," Harkness said flatly and once more started walking away.

Ianto could feel the headache he'd woken up with trying to make another appearance, could feel cold desperation gripping his stomach. He wouldn't, _couldn't_ forget Lisa, and he had to find the Doctor. Desperately, he reached out and grabbed the Captain's shoulder, stopping him, moving to confront him again. "I saw what they did at Canary Wharf. What am I supposed to do with those memories?"

"You are not my responsibility!" Harkness snapped. "And we're not hiring."

Again, he moved past Ianto, walking down the quay, and Ianto knew better than to try to stop him a fourth time. Instead he called out, "Same time tomorrow, then?" Maybe if he aggravated the man enough, he'd give up.

Harkness wasn't showing any signs of surrender as he kept walking, yelling back without turning around, "There is no job for you here, and there never will be!"

Said firmly enough, and yet...if he was so set against idea, surely he would have just ignored Ianto - and hadn't there been a flicker of something like pain in his eyes at the mention of Canary Wharf? Just a little hint of a crack in the wall? He watched Harkness walk away and, unable to resist a chance to have the last word (again), he called out, "I really like that coat."

He would have bet anything that Harkness had smiled at that, just a little.

 

 

* * *

  
_Retroactive Diary entry: June 26, 2006_

_Intrigued or not, Captain Harkness didn't appear to like me much. Or is it Torchwood One he doesn't like?_

 

Ianto lay on the bed in his darkened flat, a cold compress across his eyes as he tried to relax enough to let the migraine tabs do their work. The past two days had been frustrating. Despite lying in wait outside the tourism office for hours on end, he'd been unable to catch Captain Harkness coming or going although he'd seen the other members of his team. So either Harkness had another way into the place, or he'd gone to ground inside. Monitoring their radios with the headset he'd borrowed from Torchwood London had been less than effective as he got more static than talk - no doubt their computer expert, Dr Sato, had set up sophisticated jamming equipment to prevent just such monitoring. So all he could do was wait, but Ianto didn't have time to play that game. His month was nearly up. It was Thursday and if he wasn't on Torchwood Three's payroll by Monday morning, he had no doubt he'd be waking up in hospital Monday afternoon, victim of a coma with the last two years wiped out.

The thought made his headache spike again, and he forced himself to relax, to forget the consequences of failure and concentrate on success. There had to be something else he could do, some other hand to play. If necessary, he'd follow the Captain the next time he went on the pull and proposition him. The file said that Harkness liked young and attractive, no matter what gender, and the once-over he'd given Ianto had certainly been appreciative. Little as he liked the idea of getting a job because of his cock-sucking skills, Ianto was nearly desperate enough to try that.

A noise from the night table caught his attention and he lifted a corner of the cold compress to glance at the rift detector lying there. Something was coming through the rift - a number of _somethings_ , actually, and he quickly made note of their locations. The majority of them seemed to be located near Cardiff Castle, but a smallish blip was heading in another direction, and it was moving quickly. Locking in on it, he grabbed his coat and car keys and raced out of his flat, headache forgotten.

The blip turned out to be a pteranodon, and the first sight of it flying about the warehouse it had taken refuge in had filled him with awe - for about a minute before he had to sit down and try not to hyperventilate. He'd expected Captain Jack and his team to arrive to investigate and had monitored the warehouse all night and most of the morning, waiting for them, but there hadn't been any sign of them when he left for a shower and a change of clothing. From their radio conversations, he'd gleamed that yesterday's activity had kept them occupied near the reservoir instead. It appeared that the pterodactyl had flown in - literally - under their radar. Which meant that he'd have to come up with some other way of getting Captain Harkness' attention.

* * *

 

On reflection, stepping out in front of a moving car was probably not the best way to do that.

Harkness stepped out the SUV and stormed towards him, clearly annoyed. "Okay, this has to stop."

"No, listen to me," Ianto began, but Harkness just bulldozed over him.

"I don't have time for this," he snapped. "Look, I don't care what your problem is; I want you out of this city by sunrise. There is no place for you here. Go back to London and find yourself another life. Keep stalking me and I'll wipe your memory."

"No, but the thing is - "

"Look, any conversation between us, no matter what the subject, is over. Finished. Done! Forever!" Harkness pointed back at the SUV. "I'm getting back behind the wheel of that car. You're still standing in the road, I'm gonna drive through you."

 _He's like a force of nature, primal and magnificent and unpredictable,_ Ianto thought, taking a moment to watch admiringly as Harkness stalked back to his vehicle. Then, with deliberation and in as nonchalant a tone as he could manage, he said, "So you're not going to help me catch this pterodactyl, then?"

The look on Harkness' face was priceless.

 

* * *

 

Outside the warehouse, Ianto watched as Harkness put together a large syringe of some kind of knock-out drug. " _That_ is the only special equipment you've got?" he asked in disbelief.

Harkness gave him a pointed look. "Yeah, 'cause I keep dinosaur nets in the back of the SUV."

Ianto said, blandly and with deliberately provocation, "Torchwood London would have."

Harkness gave him another annoyed look, then led the way into the warehouse. The pterodactyl - Myfanwy, he'd privately been calling her for the past twenty-four hours - took immediate exception to the newcomer's presence and dive-bombed the doorway. Harkness made a strategic retreat with Ianto on his heels and, leaning against the outside of the door, asked, "How did you find it?"

Ianto shrugged. "Rift activity locator," he said, as if that was a given.

Harkness gave Ianto his first seriously appraising look - well, the first that hadn't been flirting - and said, as if adding things up, "Torchwood London." Then he turned his attention back to the pterodactyl. "Well, it's quite excitable."

Ianto shrugged, looked back at the Captain. Myfanwy hadn't taken much interest in him, other than investigating the tidbits of food he'd tried to tempt her with. She certainly hadn't tried to attack him. "Must be your aftershave."

Harkness met his eyes, smiling smugly. "Never wear any."

Ianto blinked. "You smell like that naturally?" he asked, then flushed slightly as he realized how that sounded.

Harkness grinned as if used to that reaction. "Fifty-first century pheromones. You people have no idea." Ianto turned his head away, not sure what to make of that comment, and Harkness said, "Ready for another go?"

Ianto shrugged. "I'm game if you are."

Harkness did a countdown and they burst back into the warehouse, splitting up to run down opposite sides of the interior, hoping to confuse the creature with multiple targets. It appeared to work; Myfanwy landed in the middle of the floor and turned her head one way and then the other, taking an uncertain step in their direction.

Harkness' face lit up in a way that did something funny to Ianto's stomach as he began coaxing the creature into coming back with him. "I've got somewhere nice and big where you can fly around," Harkness offered persuasively.

Ianto frowned. "So you can take in the pterodactyl but not me?"

Harkness didn't take his eyes off the pterodactyl. "I need a guard dog."

"I can be that," Ianto said immediately. "Receptionist. Building maintenance. Food and drink. Dry cleaning, even - that coat of yours must take a battering. Like a butler," he added. "I could be a butler."

"I don't need a butler."

"Excuse me!" Ianto said, grabbing his arm and pointing at his shirt. "Look at your collar!"

"It was a busy week," Harkness said, sounding like he was gritting his teeth. He probably was; Ianto knew he was being rude and pushy, and his mam would have been horrified by his behavior, but frankly, he didn't have time to waste.

Harkness tried to pull his arm away but Ianto wasn't having any of it. "What exactly is your plan?" he demanded.

Harkness jerked free and watched Myfanwy for a moment, then said, "I'm going to be the decoy..."

"And it will rip you to shreds."

"Dinosaurs," Harkness said with a shrug and a smirk. "I've had them for breakfast. Only source of pre-cooked food protein after the asteroid crashed." He looked at Ianto and added, "Long story. Here you go!" He handed Ianto the sedative. "One injection to the central nervous cortex - I'll keep it occupied."

He gave Ianto a soldierly punch to the shoulder and Ianto gave him a disbelieving look in return. "No," he said.

"What?" Harkness stared at him in disbelief; clearly he wasn't used to having anyone say that to him.

"It knows me," Ianto said firmly. "I'll make a better decoy."

"It's way too dangerous," Harkness replied but Ianto shook his head.

"I've got a secret weapon." Ianto pulled a large chocolate bar from his inside jacket pocket and held it up. "Chocolate. Preferably dark."

Without waiting for a reply from Harkness, he moved around the side of the warehouse floor, warily eyeing the pterodactyl as he did so. While it was true that she was slightly more familiar with him, it was highly unlikely that twenty-four hours was enough to make them bosom buddies. At most, it might get him a half-second grace before getting ripped apart. But he was highly aware that Harkness' eyes were on him, that this would be his only chance to prove himself.

He whistled lowly, attracting Myfanwy's attention as he slowly approached it. "Your favorite, yeah," he promised, holding out the candy bar to catch her attention. When she appeared focused on him and not the other man, he gently tossed the chocolate bar in front of her. She was quick to snap up some of the bar although she kept watching him warily. "It's good for your serotonin levels," he added, then said, dubiously, "If you've got serotonin levels."

The pterodactyl looked at him and he suddenly felt quite daft talking to her, even if she appeared to be listening. She looked back down at the chocolate, then suddenly seemed aware of Harkness hovering behind her. As if sensing this might be his only chance, the Captain leaped for her just as she took off into the air again, clinging to her leg by one hand. Ianto watched, heart in his throat, as the man dangled precariously while Myfanwy flew from one end of the warehouse to the other. Somehow, the man managed to pull himself up enough to inject her with the sedative, and then he was plummeting towards the floor.

Instinctively, Ianto moved forward to catch him, although he did little more than cushion Harkness' fall as his momentum knocked them both to the floor. The wind knocked from him, he was barely aware of Harkness' gasped, "Sorry!", more concerned by the sight of the sedated pterodactyl plummeting towards them. He pushed up, rolling them over and away, Harkness moving with him as they rolled again, till Ianto somehow ended up on top, both of them laughing like idiots.

 _God, he's even more gorgeous when he laughs,_ Ianto thought, his laugh dying away as he stared down at Jack, mesmerized. As if sensing his change of mood, Jack stopped laughing as well, staring up at him with that compelling intensity, their faces a hair's breadth apart. Like a moth drawn to a flame, Ianto leaned forward that last little bit until their lips met.

Jack's lips were warm and welcoming, moving against his with a dexterity that spoke of extensive experience. It made his breath catch and sent a tingle through his body, from his head to his toes, and made him press closer, eager for more. Jack seemed just as eager, his arms circling Ianto's shoulders and pressing them closer together.

Ianto broke the kiss, suddenly aware that he was hard, harder than he'd ever been in his life, and that the man under him was just as aroused. He felt his face heat with embarrassment as he broke away from Jack's embrace and got to his feet. How could he have forgotten himself so badly? He'd just snogged the man he'd hoped to make his boss, utterly ruining his chances, and this less than two months after the death of his girlfriend. Just what kind of bastard was he? Mortified, he muttered heaven-knew-what and headed towards the door.

"Ianto Jones."

Harkness' voice was commanding, mesmerizing, and it halted him in place even though he longed to flee. "Give me a hand getting her back to the Hub. You can fill out the transfer paperwork while you're there."

Ianto swung around, his mouth dropping open in stunned disbelief. "You mean..."

"You start Monday. General support, which means you do all the shit work no one else wants to do. Still interested?"

"Yes!" Ianto blurted out, relieved. He'd have a chance to find out more about the Doctor and his Companions. He'd keep his memories, of Torchwood London, of Lisa. Even of these last few embarrassing minutes.

He refused to let himself think which he was more eager to keep.

* * *

 

The Hub was nothing like what he'd expected, Ianto thought as he looked around. After helping drag the pterodactyl into the underground complex, Harkness had blithely instructed him to "have a look around" while he hunted down the appropriate transfer paperwork. Ianto had taken him at his word. In a small kitchen area, Ianto hit the jackpot: a lovely coffee machine that had to be part alien tech. Further digging unearthed coffee: grounds, not beans, but at least they were fresh and a decent brand. By the time he heard Jack returning, he was pouring two cups of fresh, hot coffee.

"Right then, here we go. Just sign your name and as of Monday, you'll be on Torchwood Three's books," Jack said, entering the kitchen area. "Oh - sorry, that machine's been broken for years..."

Jack's voice trailed off as Ianto turned with two cups of coffee in hand. "Incredible," he said, reverence in his voice as he accepted a cup and breathed in the aroma of a perfect cup of coffee. "And that would be the third reason why I'm hiring you, Ianto Jones."

"The first two would be my persistence and pterodactyl-hunting skills?"

Jack grinned. "That, and you kiss like an angel." He reached out to take Ianto's cup, setting both down on the counter, and said, "Speaking of which, I think we have some unfinished business."

Before Ianto could do more than blink, he found himself pressed back against the counter, Jack's hands on his hips and their faces close together. Jack's body was pressed along his, making Ianto acutely aware of his warmth and strength. "Careful, sir," Ianto murmured. "That's harassment."

"Oh, I don't think so," Jack said, a predatory smile on his face. "For two reasons. One: you don't work for me until Monday morning. And two: you kissed me first."

Ianto considered this for a moment, then nodded. "In that case, sir, there is only one thing to say. Yours or mine?"

Jack's smile widened and he pressed closer. "Mine," he purred. "It's closer."

He released Ianto and grabbed his hand, dragging him out of the kitchen. To Ianto's surprise, he didn't head for the Hub door but instead pulled him into his office and opened a hatch in the floor.

"You live here?" he asked in disbelief. At least that explained why he hadn't seen the man leave the Hub for days.

Jack looked up with a grin. "Yeah. What it lacks in ambiance, it makes up for in convenience." He held his hand out. "Walk into my parlor, Mr. Jones."

"Said the spider to the fly," Ianto murmured even as he took Jack's hand. "That's not putting me at ease, sir."

Jack had started down the ladder and he paused, grinning up at Ianto. "Sir? I think I like you calling me that."

He disappeared from view and Ianto took a deep breath. _What in hell was he doing?_ he wondered. It had only been two months since Lisa had died, and yet here he was, getting ready to crawl into another lover's bed. And a man, at that, something he hadn't done since he'd left school.

"Ianto!" Jack called out, and Ianto found himself climbing down the ladder, as if mesmerized. He found himself standing in a small room and had barely enough time to take in the camp bed and the few other furnishings before Jack's hands were framing his face, Jack's eyes boring into his.

"Ianto, you don't have to do this if you don't want to," he said. "It's not a requirement for being hired, and it's not something I expect as part of your job. Just a pleasant diversion for the night, a little comfort between two lonely souls."

"I want to do this," Ianto said, and was surprised to realize that it was true. He leaned forward, pressing his lips against Jack's again. It was just as heady as it had been the first time and he moaned as he wrapped his arms around Jack's waist, pressing closer for more.

The Captain drew back and beamed at him. "Ianto Jones, I am going to show you _such_ a good time," he purred.

Ianto laughed. "I hope so, sir, but will you respect me in the morning?"

He was again surprised when Jack turned serious for a moment, took his face in his hands and said, "Yes."

And oddly enough, Ianto believed him.

 

* * *

 

 

_Diary entry: July 1, 2006_

_The rumors are confirmed. All of them. Well, all but one, as I did not have my measuring tape with me at the time..._

 

  
Ianto woke to the realization that someone quite near by was watching him sleep. He blinked his eyes open; it was Jack, propped up on one elbow, an enigmatic look on his face. Once he realized that Ianto was awake, the look changed to his usual flirtatious one, and Ianto felt a twinge of loss.

"Morning, beautiful," Jack said, leaning down to brush a kiss over his lips.

"Morning," Ianto returned, then yawned. "What time is it?"

"Early," Jack said. "Thought you might want to get on your way before the team turns up."

"Right," Ianto said, sitting up and running a hand through his hair. "Don't want them thinking that I'm shagging the boss."

Jack leered at him. "Not that the boss minds."

Ianto laughed and leaned forward to kiss him briefly. "Shower?"

"Through there." Jack gestured at a doorway. "It's functional but small - otherwise, I'd offer to wash your back," he added lecherously.

Jack had been right - the shower was barely big enough for a grown man, but the water was hot and the pressure was heavenly. When he got out, he found that his host had set a new razor and toothbrush on the sink, beside fresh towels.

He grinned at his reflection in the mirror as he brushed and shaved. Last night had been just what he'd needed. His body ached in new and delicious ways, and he fingered a love-bite on his shoulder dreamily. His heart still ached for Lisa and he thought it always would, that he would love her forever, but for the first time in months, he thought he might be able to get past her death.

He thought about the boxes he'd brought from London, still unpacked. Somewhere in one of them was a leather diary Lisa had given him for Christmas. It was blank except for her inscription and he hadn't even looked at it since then, but suddenly he decided that he'd find it and start writing in it as soon as he got back to his flat. A new start needed to be documented, and the past deserved to be remembered.

* * *

 

_Diary entry: September 13, 2006_

_Following up on the disappearance of several persons over the past year, Captain Harkness decided to take the entire team to the Brecon Beacons to investigate. One can only surmise that he intended it as a team-building exercise. Oddly enough, it worked, but not as I image the Captain planned it..._

 

Ianto stared out the window of the SUV, eyes on the countryside as Owen ranted on and on about something while the rest of the team did their best to ignore him. He had the feeling that Jack's "team-building trip to the countryside" was about to go pear-shaped.

Things had been...complicated since Suzie's death and the subsequent hiring of Gwen Cooper. The team had been unsettled, with odd eddies of anger and attraction pulling at all of them. Today, Owen was clearly annoyed, and Ianto knew full well who he was going to take it out on. Gwen was distracted, staring at first Owen and then Jack and then out the window before starting the whole thing over again. Toshiko was unhappy at being pulled away from the Hub and a program she'd been nursing, and she'd been hunched over her laptop since they'd left Cardiff. They were all doing their best to ignore Jack, still punishing him for letting Jasmine go with the fairies. And Jack - well, Jack had been his usual enigmatic and calculatingly charming self the whole trip, obviously blind to the fact that he was driving a powder-keg ready to explode at any moment.

It was enough to make Ianto long for his quiet little cubby-hole at the Tourist Information office.

If he'd known what he was getting into months ago, maybe he would have taken Jack's advice and left town. Torchwood Three was a disorganized, not to say chaotic mess, and since Suzie's death, the team had been unraveling faster than Jack could knit them back together. Ianto thought that this trip would be just as ill-fated as last week's karaoke night, although probably not as painful.

Watching Gwen watch Owen again, he felt an odd vibe between them, something he'd noticed since they'd been accidentally locked together in one of the cold storage lockers when a weevil had escaped in the hub the previous week. Maybe they'd go off for a snog in the bushes and get it out of their systems, he hoped. At least it would give Owen something to do other than picking on Tosh or him.

Later, when Gwen started the silly kissing game, Ianto's belief that he'd been consigned to one of the levels of hell was confirmed. Gwen was smug, claiming her boyfriend as her last - as if anyone had been surprised, although the looks she'd given both Owen and Jack had indicated that she'd expected at least one of them to be jealous. (Which was probably why she'd started the damn game in the first place.) Tosh blushed painfully as she'd admitted that it had been last Christmas with Owen, and he'd been as unpleasant as usual in the face of her (in Ianto's opinion, unfathomable) crush on him. Owen, as usual, set the cat among the pigeons, claiming Gwen as his last. Toshiko looked miserable at that and muttered something under her breath that set up Gwen's back, and Ianto was ready to jump in with a diversion when, to his surprise, Jack got there first, contributing his own "last kiss" story. Of course, Jack wiggled out of it with one of his usual outrageous lies, but Ianto had been caught by surprise and didn't realize the others were staring at him expectantly for a long moment.

"My turn, is it?" he asked, looking around, surprised at being the momentary focus of their attention. Most of the time, the team acted like he was invisible, and he really hadn't expected to be included in the game. Owen clearly thought he was going to pass - probably thought he was still a virgin - but Gwen gave him an encouraging (and kindly condescending) nod. Tosh was staring at the ground, ignoring them all, and Jack... He briefly met Jack's eyes before looking back down, at the fire.

"The last girl I kissed was Lisa - my girlfriend, when I lived in London," he said quietly, opting for discretion.

Gwen arched an eyebrow at him. "The quiet Mr. Jones has a girl, has he? Did you leave her behind with a broken heart, or is she joining you here?"

He heard Jack's breath catch, and then the Captain said, warningly, "Gwen, leave it alone."

"Oi! Don't butt in, Jack," Owen said, leaning back with a cynical smile on his face. "Let the tea-boy tell us more about this girl of his. Shop-girl, was she, or a coffee barista? Did you get as far as holding her hand, or is that why you came to Cardiff, fleeing from rejection?"

Something inside Ianto flared to life, the pain of loss he thought he'd pushed down fanning his anger to a sudden white-hot flame. "She was Torchwood. We shared a flat and a bed, and she was killed at Canary Wharf," he said coolly. There was a sudden stunned silence. "You want to know more? Lisa worked in the HR department and snuck down to the Archives that last day for a snog. It was a bit of a game among the staff on the upper floors, to see what they could slip past Hartman during their breaks.

"Next time I saw her, she was strapped to a metal frame, stuck in the middle of the conversion process, half-human and half-metal. She - she looked like she was asleep, lying there, if you didn't pay too much attention to the bullet UNIT had put between her eyes."

He noticed the utter stillness of the others and glanced up. Gwen looked horrified, Toshiko had tears in her eyes, and Owen was studiously staring at the fire, his lips twisted in a grimace. Jack was utterly still, as if carved out of stone.

"Ianto, I'm sorry," Gwen managed to say, finally.

Ianto's lip twisted. "Sorry she's dead, or sorry you asked?"

Gwen drew in a sharp breath, as if he'd slapped her. Owen muttered something about firewood before taking off towards the woods with Gwen behind him.

Ianto suddenly realized that he was clenching his fist so tight that it hurt, that his stomach was roiling and another migraine was building. He didn't want to be sick in front of the others so he stood up. "Right. Best get started on the dinner preparations if we want to eat before dark."

Blindly, he staggered off in the direction of the storage tent. He tripped over one of the stakes and would have fallen if not for the firm hand that grasped his arm.

"Are you all right?" Jack asked softly, his voice pitched for his ears alone. Ianto should have been grateful, but once again, his anger flared up and he wanted to strike out, to punch Jack for being alive while so many had died.

 _What do you care?_ Ianto wanted to shout. _You haven't noticed me for months, except to leer at my arse in those suits you like. I clean up your shit, no questions asked, and that's the way you like it. When did you last ask me anything about my life? When did you last notice me as a person?_ What he managed to say out loud was "Fine, sir."

"No, you're not. Sit - and that's an order."

Ianto found himself shoved down onto a crate and then Jack was crouched in front of him, a hand on his knee. "I'm sorry about your girl," Jack said gently. "I lost someone I cared about at Canary Wharf; I know how much it hurts."

Ianto's head jerked up and he met Jack's eyes. His anger drained away, leaving him tired and empty. "Sir, it wasn't your fault. It was the Doctor."

Jack frowned. "The Doctor was just trying to help."

"And yet it's odd how the Doctor's help always seems to get people killed," Ianto said flatly. "I worked in the archives; I've read his history."

Jack sighed. "Look, I know that Torchwood London has a bad opinion of the Doctor, but I know him personally and he really tries to help." Ianto gave him a doubtful look and Jack reached out to lay his hand along his cheek. "Trust me. The Doctor is a good guy."

Ianto's migraine flared and he itched to have his diary in his hands, to write down all his jumbled thoughts and feelings. "If you say so, sir."

"I do." Jack smiled. "Maybe one day I can introduce you to the Doctor and you'll see for yourself."

"I'd like that." Ianto met Jack's eyes squarely. "And I do trust you, sir."

Something flared deep in Jack's eyes, something that made heat pool low in Ianto's belly, making the incipient migraine flee. Jack leaned closer, murmuring, "About that 'most recent kiss' - you were very discreet, Ianto."

"I _did_ say that she was the most recent _girl_ I kissed," Ianto pointed out with a half-smile. "Not the most recent _person_."

"So you did."

"Whereas you claimed yours was an alien."

"She was. Well, technically she was a girl inhabited by an alien." Jack's lips brushed his. "Maybe you could help me change my answer."

Before Ianto could reply, they heard Gwen yell for help.

 

* * *

 

"Right, that's you done," Owen said, stripping off his gloves as he turned away from Ianto. "Put your shirt back on before you give Jack ideas."

Ianto slid one arm into the sleeve of his shirt and winced as he tried to get it around his back for his other arm. Jack stepped forward to help, saying, "So everyone's going to be all right?"

"If by 'all right' you mean that Gwen's abdomen looks like a pincushion, Tosh has a bruised throat, and Ianto has a concussion and bruised ribs then yes, they're all right," Owen said sarcastically. "Bloody wonderful, the countryside. Amazing how healthy all that fresh air is."

"Go home," Jack instructed. "All of you. I don't want to see you till Monday morning, unless the Rift explodes." As Ianto got off the exam table, he said, "Not you."

Ianto stopped trying to button his shirt and frowned. "Sir?"

"You've got a concussion and you don't have anyone to check on you regularly, do you?" Jack asked and Ianto shook his head. "You're staying here until I'm sure you'll be okay on your own."

"You don't have to do that, sir," Ianto protested as the others made their way out of the Hub. "I can ask a neighbour..."

"Yes, I do," Jack interrupted, crossing his arms and leaning back against the table, his eyes fixed on Ianto. "I get the feeling that I've neglected you dreadfully over the past few months. I didn't make sure that you were settling in here." He straightened up and moved closer to Ianto. "I intend to make up for that by taking a very...personal interest in you from now on," he said with a leer.

Ianto glanced quickly at the doorway to make sure that the others had left. "Harassment, sir," he said, automatically slipping into their familiar pattern.

"Not if you want it," Jack said, stepping closer until his body was nearly touching Ianto's. "If you don't want this - me - just say so. I promise that I won't hold your appallingly bad taste against you."

Ianto couldn't help smiling at that. "Don't have much of an opinion of yourself, do you, sir?"

"I'm working to overcome my innate modesty." Jack reached out to stroke Ianto's cheek with his hand, and Ianto felt the urge to lean into it, like a cat. "So is it yes or no?"

"Yes," Ianto murmured. "Definitely yes."

"Good." To Ianto's surprise, Jack stepped away from him, heading up the steps from the autopsy bay. "In that case - shower. I smell like cordite and you - well, you smell enticingly of healthy male sweat, but I think you'll be more comfortable when you're clean. Besides," he added, pausing at the top of the stairs. "I've wanted to get that gorgeous ass of yours in the shower for months."

Like a puppet on a string, Ianto trailed up the stairs, frowning as he said, "But your shower is too small, sir."

"Ah, but the Hub shower isn't." Jack winked at him, then turned and strode off, calling over his shoulder, "Come along, Ianto!"

"Coming, sir."

With any luck, he thought with a smirk as he followed in Jack's wake, he would be, too.

* * *

 

_Diary entry: December 24, 2006_

_Our guests from the past are settling in, more or less. Gwen has taken Emma under her wing and she seems to be adjusting well. Not surprisingly, Owen appears to have taken a fancy to Diane - the surprise is that she appears to return his interest. Jack has struck up a friendship with John, who is not adjusting as well as the others..._

 

Ianto set down his pen and poured a glass of whiskey, staring into the fire as he slowly sipped the fiery liquid. It was Christmas, but an odd and lonely one. Last year, he'd celebrated with his mates. He'd kissed Lisa for the first time, under the mistletoe. This year, he was alone with no expectations for the holiday. He hadn't even bothered to decorate his flat, except for a bit of greenery above the fireplace. Outside, it was definitely not Christmassy, with not even a hint of snow in the air.

He sighed and picked up his pen again, turning the page in his diary as he carefully recorded the story of their visitors from the past. Unlike his official report on file at the Hub, here he recorded his personal thoughts and observations: how Gwen and Jack and Owen had each connected so personally with their new strays, and how their guests were settling in. Then he turned to a section at the back of the diary and carefully added his latest gleanings about the Doctor, from forgotten notes in the archive and closed case files.

His latest was a report from an Idris Hopper, about an incident the previous year. The mayor had disappeared and subsequently the power plant she'd been advocating had been found to be defective, triggering a major scandal. Most thought she'd disappeared to avoid prosecution, but Hopper had reported that just before her disappearance, a strange man and his three companions had chased her through the government buildings and he blamed them for her disappearance. He hadn't known their names, although one had introduced himself as the Doctor, but he'd given clear descriptions, and one had sounded very much like Jack Harkness. He made a note to try to track down more information on the other man and woman who'd been with Jack and the Doctor, although Hopper wouldn't be any use since he'd been subsequently retconned.

He was just finishing the entry when there was a knock on his door. He frowned as he closed the diary and set it aside. He wasn't expecting any visitors as Tosh was off to see her family. Jack was probably at the Hub with John. He'd reported over the comm. that he'd recovered Ianto's car and was keeping John company. Besides which, Jack had never visited Ianto at home; their shags always took place at the Hub. It was probably one of the neighbors with a plate of cookies, he thought with a sigh as he unlocked the door, hoping he could get rid of them quickly.

Jack was standing on the other side of the door, wearing an expression of such bone-deep weariness on his face that Ianto wanted to gather him close and offer comfort. Knowing that Jack would hate that, he did the next best thing: ushered him into his flat and took his coat. He noted that there was an odd odor to the coat and resolved to take it in for a good cleaning when the shop opened after the holiday.

He guided Jack to the couch in silence, poured him a cup of coffee and, after taking another look at Jack's face, added a generous dollop of whiskey to it before handing it to Jack. The other man's hands were cold and Ianto turned up the gas in the fireplace before sitting back on the couch next to Jack.

Who was staring into the fire, coffee cup untouched in his hands.

"Jack?"

Jack looked around slowly, as if taking in his surroundings and his company for the first time. "John is dead," he said flatly.

Ianto closed his eyes and sighed. The man had clearly been suffering, but he hadn't expected this. "How?"

"Carbon monoxide poisoning. I'm having your car cleaned, but it'll be a few days before you get it back."

Ianto wanted to ask more, wanted to ask why Jack had said he was with John and that he was fine, had sent him home. He wanted to ask why Jack's coat smelled so heavily of the poisonous gas, and why he'd come to Ianto's flat, and a dozen other questions. But now wasn't the time, not with Jack looking like that.

Ianto reached out and grasped Jack's head between his hands, pulling it closer so that he could kiss him. Jack's response was immediate; with a half-choked sob, he pulled Ianto closer, until Ianto was straddling his lap as Jack's mouth devoured his.

Jack pulled away just long enough to whisper, "Fuck me, Ianto. I need to feel you inside of me. Here. Now."

Ianto was instantly harder than he'd ever been. Jack had always topped till now, and while Ianto loved being on bottom, he'd occasionally fantasized about pushing into that beautiful, tight arse. He pressed a kiss against Jack's lips, murmured, "Be right back," and dashed up the stairs to his bedroom for supplies.

When he returned with the lube and condoms, he stopped in the doorway, struck speechless by the sight in front of him. Jack Harkness was standing before the hearth, his back to Ianto, the firelight gleaming off his naked skin. He looked like some sort of ancient god, a primal, vital force of nature, and for a long moment, Ianto could only stare at him in awe.

Then Jack turned, smiling as he held out a glass of whiskey in invitation, and Ianto had to go to him, had to kiss him and pull him down to the rug and kiss him again. He licked one of Jack's beautiful nipples and then reached for his neglected glass. Ianto poured a little of the whiskey in the hollow of Jack's chest, grinning as Jack let out a gasp of surprise. He lapped at the pool, loving the taste of Jack and whiskey combined, then used his fingers to paint Jack's nipples before sucking each one in turn. Jack moaned and arched under him, swearing as Ianto abandoned his nipples, only to groan with pleasure as he bestowed the same attention on Jack's cock.

"Fuck me!" Jack panted. "Now!

Ianto reached for the abandoned supplies, taking a moment to appreciate the picture Jack made, sprawled naked on his rug. "Beautiful," he murmured.

Jack raised his head and scowled at him. "You're not naked yet. Why aren't you naked and fucking me?"

"Excellent question, sir." Ianto quickly shed his robe and pyjamas and knelt beside Jack. "How do you want to do this? Hands and knees?"

Jack shook his head, reaching out to run a hand over Ianto's naked flesh. "Like this. Face to face. I want to see your gorgeous face when you come."

Ianto flushed at the compliment. "It's daft you are, and blind."

Jack reached out and grasped the back of Ianto's head, pulling him down for a rough kiss. "You're the most gorgeous man in Wales," he said firmly, "and I'm not daft because I'm the lucky bastard who has you in his bed." He kissed Ianto again and then wantonly spread his legs. "Now fuck me into the floor before I decide to just get myself off."

How could he resist an invitation like that? Ianto settled between Jack's legs, and shortly after was pushing his way inside Jack's welcoming body. Jack groaned with pleasure, lifting his legs to wrap around Ianto's waist and pull him in tightly, and it was only with supreme effort that Ianto managed not to go off immediately. He couldn't remember ever being inside anyone so hot and tight, and he pulled out and pushed back in, reveling in the sensation. Jack lay beneath him, head thrown back, hands grasping Ianto's arms as they slowly moved together in a dance as old as time.

Ianto shifted slightly, grinning with satisfaction as that dragged a shout from Jack, and then they were moving faster, rocking towards their mutual pleasure. Ianto could feel his climax building and slipped a hand between their bodies to grasp Jack's cock, stripping it once, twice. Jack shouted and shook beneath him, and Ianto felt the hot splash against his chest. He surrendered to his body's demands, thrusting hard and fast, coming deep within Jack's body before collapsing down on his chest.

For a moment they both lay there, chests heaving and bodies cooling as they recovered, then Jack lifted his head and grinned up at Ianto.

"Luckiest bastard in the world," he repeated, then winced slightly as Ianto eased out of his body.

"Daft," Ianto retorted, carefully discarding the condom, then reached down a hand to help Jack up. "Shower," he said decisively and then added, softly, "Will you stay the night?"

Jack hesitated, then smiled and said, "Why not?" He leered at Ianto. "That'll give me a chance to return the favor in the morning."

Ianto smiled and led the way up the stairs to the bathroom. It might not be snowing, but it was turning out to be the best Christmas he'd had in a long time.

He'd have to note that in his diary. In the morning, after Jack fulfilled his promise.

* * *

 

_Diary entry: June 21, 2007_

_Jack is back..._

  
Ianto stood at the hotel window, staring out over the city. Somewhere out there, another Ianto was chasing a blow-fish and getting ready to be surprised by the sudden reappearance of Jack Harkness. For a moment, as he'd stared at Jack standing framed by the window looking larger than life, he'd felt overwhelming joy. But then Jack had run out on them again, and John Hart had thrown several monkey wrenches in the works, and Ianto had realized that Owen was right. He wasn't anything special to Jack, just his part-time shag.

A knock on the door brought him out of his reverie, and he wasn't surprised to find Jack on the other side.

"All settled," Jack announced, practically bouncing into the room. "Tomorrow, we're going to be pampered within an inch of our lives, and tonight there's room service." As Ianto closed the door behind him, he turned and took Ianto in his arms, kissing him soundly. "God, I missed you! The most gorgeous man in Wales, and he's all mine."

Ianto felt his heart sink; stupid as it was, he'd thought Jack was serious about that date, but it appeared that things were back to usual.

"I suppose I am," he said with a sigh. Gently pushing away from Jack, Ianto removed his jacket and carefully hung it on the back of a chair. He sat down to pull off his shoes and socks and saw that Jack was frowning at him. "I've gotten a bit rusty; give me a minute and I'll get my kit off." He stood up and unfastened his cuff-links, setting them on the desk.

"Ianto, what the hell?"

"Too slow? Been a while, then. Wouldn't the Doctor put out?" Ianto undid his tie and tossed it on the desk.

Jack glared at him, obviously stung by his words. "It's not like that with the Doctor."

"Another way he's superior to the rest of us, then, since he's not willing to be your whore." Ianto unbuttoned his shirt as he walked toward the bed. "Do you want me on my face or my back? Or maybe on hands and knees?"

Jack grabbed his wrist. "You're not my whore," he growled. Usually, that growl made Ianto shiver but tonight it didn't do anything for him.

"That's not what the rest of the team thinks," he said tartly. "Jack, you kissed me in front of everyone, and then took off without a word!"

"It wasn't like that!" Jack snapped.

"Then what was it like? We saw the CCTV footage; all of us saw you running off to Him. The only thing that made Owen less miserable while you were gone was that he could say that at least he hadn't been dumped."

Jack looked diverted. "Owen was miserable while I was gone?"

"Not the point, Jack!"

"Well, what _is_ the point?" Jack said, irritated.

"You kissed me like I meant something to you, then tossed me aside to go off with the Doctor! And then you come back and expect to just take up where you left off, although you're perfectly willing to snog the man who just tried to kill all of us!"

"It's not like that!" Jack shouted. "I don't want John, I want you! And I left because I was hoping the Doctor could fix me! So that I wouldn't keep dying and come back, and so I could grow old with someone instead of watching everyone I love die!"

"Oh." Ianto swallowed back his ire. "So - how did that go?"

Jack slumped on the bed. "He couldn't do anything. He said - he said I was a fixed point, that I was _wrong_ , an impossible thing."

"You're not wrong," Ianto said, sitting down next to him and putting his hand on Jack's. _Another strike against the Doctor, then. Breaking Jack and then refusing to fix him._ "You're very right, and we're glad you're back."

"As evidenced by you accusing me of treating you like a whore," Jack said pointedly.

Ianto flushed and looked down at his lap. "It's quite possible that I was hurt and jealous."

"You don't have any reason to be," Jack said quietly. "I had feelings - unrequited, I might add - for the Doctor, but he's changed. Literally. Still, he asked me to stay but I turned him down. I really did come back for you."

"Jack..."

"And I don't expect you to just let me back in your bed, and even if you do, I want it to be different. That's why I asked you on a date. So I could do this - us - right this time. It's all I thought about for the past year..."

Ianto frowned. "Jack, you were only gone for a few months."

Jack shook his head. "Time machine, remember? We were gone for a year. A year during which we were held prisoner by a mad-man masquerading as our Prime Minister. A lunatic who thought a man who couldn't stay dead made the best entertainment."

Ianto was horrified. "Jack!" He put his arms around Jack, pulling him close.

"It's all right," Jack said, but he turned his face into the crook of Ianto's neck, as if seeking comfort. "The Doctor fixed things, set it right, and time reset itself so that none of it happened."

"It happened to you," Ianto said softly.

Jack nodded, turning more fully into Ianto's arms. "I - can I stay here tonight? I don't expect anything; I just don't want to be alone."

Ianto pressed a kiss against Jack's hair. "Of course you can. If you want to talk, I'm here. If you just want to rest, then I'm here for that, too."

With a soft, contented sigh, Jack relaxed against him, laying his head in Ianto's lap and started talking. Ianto ran his fingers through Jack's hair as he listened, offering wordless comfort. And after Jack had fallen asleep, the first true rest he'd had for a year, Ianto pulled out his diary and started writing.

* * *

 

_Diary entry: June 22, 2007_

_Jack was gone when I awoke this morning, but there was a note on the night table saying "Tonight. 8pm. Wear the cute suit." The day is starting off well._

 

  
Ianto had just cleared away the lunch rubbish when the door to the Tourist Information office opened. He looked up to see the Director standing in the doorway, with several of Torchwood's security staff behind her.

"Director Linley!" he said, startled. "I wasn't aware that you were visiting the Captain today."

"It's a surprise visit." She glanced around the room with a raised eyebrow. "How are you fitting in here, Mr Jones?"

"Very well, thank you, ma'am," he said. He pressed the button to open the hidden door and came around the corner of the desk to lead the way. "This way, ma'am."

Director Linley followed him into the lift, and Ianto was surprised to see four security men follow her while another two remained in the upstairs office. He was starting to get an uneasy feeling and wished there was an unobtrusive way to warn Jack.

As they came through the Hub's cog door, everyone looked up in surprise, and Jack came out of his office to greet their visitors.

"Director, may I introduce Captain Jack Harkness?" Ianto said hurriedly. "Captain, this is Director Linley, from Torchwood One."

"Nice to meet you, Ms Linley," Jack said, giving Linley his dazzling smile as he held out his hand. "Shall we head up to the boardroom so you can tell me what this is all about? Ianto, refreshments for the Director and her staff, please."

"That won't be necessary," Linley said, ignoring Jack's hand. "Under my authority as Acting Director of Torchwood Operations, I charge you, Captain Harkness, with consorting with a known enemy of Torchwood against Queen and Country, an act of Treason. Men, take Captain Harkness into custody and secure him in one of the cells here."

Before any of the team could make a move, the four security men had drawn their weapons. Two of them grabbed Jack, pinning his arms behind his back, while another removed his Webley and his wristband, handing both to Linley. The fourth kept his weapon aimed on the other members of the Torchwood team.

"What are you doing?" Ianto demanded, aghast. "This has to be some kind of mistake!"

"There is no mistake, Mr Jones," Linley said. "We must always stay vigilant in the face of England's enemies. The files, please."

Ianto found himself crossing to his desk, unlocking the lower drawer, and extracting a set of files. He glanced at the top one, the report on their trip to the Beacons, and realized that these were all the case files for the past year, files he was certain he'd filed in their proper place in the archives. Reluctantly, he handed the files to Linley. Bewildered by his own actions, he glanced briefly at Jack, at the fury and betrayal reflected in his face, and then stared at the floor. He was uncomfortably aware that the rest of the team was staring at him in disbelief and anger.

"Secure Captain Harkness," Linley ordered her men. "Dr Sato, lead the way to the cells, and don't try anything stupid if you don't want the rest of your team summarily executed as collaborators."

She turned her back on the others and looked into Jack's office, then made a disgusted face. "Disgraceful," she said, surveying the accumulation on Jack's desk. "I'll set up my office in the boardroom, Mr Jones."

"Yes, ma'am," Ianto said automatically, glad that she wasn't taking over Jack's office. He didn't think he could bear to face her across a desk that held such personal memories for him, memories of the man he had just betrayed. Only a few months ago he'd laid there on his back, feet on Jack's shoulders as he'd been fucked him into oblivion. And then there was the time when Jack...

Ianto jerked his mind away from pleasant memories to the not-so-pleasant _now_ , watching as Linley made her way up to the boardroom. He blanked his mind to any thoughts other than refreshments for Linley and her men, and whether it was time for more coffee for the others. As he moved up the stairs, he heard Gwen whisper, "Ianto, how could you?" and thought that it was unlikely that any of them would want anything from him ever again.

  
And he didn't blame them in the least.

* * *

 

Directory Linley slammed down the last of the file folders on the conference table. "There's nothing here!"

"That's all the cases since I transferred to Cardiff, ma'am," Ianto said impassively, relieved that whatever Linley was looking for, he hadn't given it to her. Maybe she'd give up and go back to London, not that Jack would ever forgive him for his betrayal.

"I don't care about the Rift or any of the messes Harkness has stirred up," Linley said impatiently as she paced across the room to the window and looked over the main level of the Hub. "What I want is information about the Doctor: when he'll be back, how Harkness gets in touch with him, if there are other Companions we can interrogate. All we've got is that Jones girl, but since Prime Minister Saxon disappeared, UNIT has had Martha Jones and her family snugged up tight. Harkness must have written something down, somewhere."

 _No, but I did_ , Ianto thought, remembering with sudden clarity the back section of his diary, where he'd felt compelled to write everything he learned about the Doctor. The diary was in his pocket and felt like a lead weight, and he felt a tickling urge to give it to her, but he resisted the compulsion.

"We'll have to rip it out of his mind," she said grimly. "That mind-probe device your lot used on that alien - get Dr Harper to set it up."

"But it's not safe!" Ianto protested, horrified. "It made the alien's head explode. It'll destroy Ja- the Captain's mind!"

"That's not important," Linley said fiercely. "The only thing that matters is achieving Torchwood's prime directive: to find, capture, and eliminate the threat known as the Doctor."

"But - "

Linley pounded her fist on the table. "I _know_ that the Doctor was behind the assassination of the American president and the disappearance of Prime Minister Saxon. He's responsible for that, and for what happened at Canary Wharf."

"Ma'am - "

She turned to glare at him, and Ianto saw that there was a gleam in Linley's eyes, a look that Ianto had seen on the faces of other fanatics, like Bilis Manger. "I'm not a fool, Mr Jones. I know what they say about me, the other survivors. 'Loo-Linley', saved from conversion by being trapped in the Ladies by a fallen bit of wall, but I'll show them. The Doctor is responsible for it all, and he'll pay, oh yes, he'll pay! And if I have to rip the mind out of Captain Harkness or a hundred others to get the information I need, I will!"

 _She's gone completely mad,_ he realized, and quickly tried to come up with a way to stall her, keep her from getting her hands on that mind-probe device. God only knew what it would do to Jack, if even he could survive its effects.

"The Captain might have written it down. He has a personal log on the mainframe," he volunteered. "I've seen one of the entries," _enough to know there's nothing in there to harm the Doctor or anyone else_ , "They're encrypted, but Toshiko should be able to access them."

"Good," Linley said, giving him a pinched-off smile. "Get her to work on that, and get Dr Harper to set up the probe, just in case. And then take another look in the Archives - there must be something on the Doctor there."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, backing quickly toward the door.

"Oh, and get me some tea," she said, pushing away the coffee mug on the table. "Can't abide this nasty stuff."

* * *

 

Ianto caught Toshiko at her workstation, cornering her before she could get away. In a low, urgent voice, he said, "Tosh, I know you don't trust me right now, and I have no idea what happened earlier, but I swear, I don't want anything to happen to Jack and I need your help."

Something in the tone of his voice must have convinced her to listen as she slowly sat back down in her chair. "What do you want me to do?"

"Three things." He leaned closer, grabbing the pad and pen on her desk, looking like he was completely absorbed in what he was writing as he said lowly, "First, I need you to hack into Jack's personal logs and print them out for the Director, but only if they don't mention the Doctor or anyone related to him, otherwise she's going to try to use the mind-probe on Jack."

Tosh's eyes widened but she nodded. "I can do that."

"Make it take as long as possible, drag it out, because I also need you to find this person," he said, writing the words "Martha Jones" on the pad. "UNIT may know where she is. Let her know that Torchwood's Director is insane, that Jack's in trouble and needs help from their mutual friend."

Tosh bit her lip but nodded again. "And the third?"

"Help me figure a way to get Jack out of here," he said simply.

Her smile widened. "It will be my pleasure, Ianto."

"Thanks." He briefly squeezed her shoulder. "Now I just have to convince the others, then talk to Jack and hope he doesn't kill me."

* * *

The others hadn't been easy to convince, not in the short time Ianto had to talk to them under the guise of serving coffee and pastries. At least Owen had given him drugs to slip into the coffee of the guards upstairs, and both he and Gwen had agreed to help Tosh with whatever diversion she cooked up. That just left Jack.

Under the pretence of feeding the weevils, Ianto made his way down to the cells. Jack was lying on the bench in his cell and Ianto stood for a moment watching him before he pulled out the PDA Tosh had given him. An image of the cell and Jack appeared on the small screen, and Ianto signalled Tosh that he was ready.

"When I said 8pm tonight, I had something more date-like in mind."

Ianto looked up from the PDA to see that Jack was watching him, a cold look in his eyes. He swallowed hard, feeling an icy dread in his stomach as he realized he could quite possibly be dead within the next few minutes.

"Would you mind sitting up or doing something different, please, sir?"

"Since you ask so _nicely_..." Jack was on his feet and pressed up against the glass partition before Ianto could blink, making him jump. He'd forgotten how quickly the Captain could move.

"When I get my hands on you, Ianto Jones..." Jack growled.

Ianto swallowed again, then resolutely turned his attention to his work. "If you could delay your desire for vengeance till a more suitable time, sir," he said, swiftly pressing buttons on his PDA. "I have to come in there now, and it will put a serious crimp in our plans if you kill me before I have a chance to explain."

He unlocked the cell and stepped inside, carefully pulling the unlocked door closed behind him to that it would appear to be secured to anyone watching the CCTV of the corridor. A quick glance at the screen on his PDA confirmed that the feed from the cell itself was looping, showing Jack lying on his bunk as he'd been doing when Ianto first arrived. He smiled; Tosh was very, very good at her work.

Before he had a chance to convey this information to Jack, however, he found himself slammed against the back wall, his body pinned by Jack's. Jack's hand firmly grasped his throat, pressing just enough to make Ianto see stars.

"Talk, Ianto. And I better like what I'm hearing or you'll be dead before your friends can get in here to rescue you."

"The cell's feed is looping, the guards can't see a thing," Ianto managed to say around the constriction on his throat. "Tosh is working on a diversion; when I get the signal, we'll get you out of the Hub to the SUV, and out of the city. She's contacting Martha Jones, to get you passage with your mutual friend to somewhere safe."

Jack released Ianto's throat, for which he was grateful, and he frowned. "I don't understand. You infiltrated Torchwood Three as a spy for Linley, but now you're going to help me get away?"

Ianto shook his head. "I wasn't her spy. I don't know why I gave her those files, but she didn't find anything in them, and she won't find anything elsewhere." He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his diary along with Jack's wristband. "It's written in here, in the back. Everything you've ever said about the Doctor and your travels with him, about his Companions. And I want you to have it."

Jack released Ianto and took the diary, running his hand over the leather surface with an even deeper frown on his face. "Why?"

"The Director is insane," Ianto said with a sigh. "She must have snapped at Canary Wharf, only no one realized. She blames the Doctor, is obsessed about him, really, and claims that she knows how to destroy him for good. You've got to get to him, Jack, and warn him."

Jack's lips twisted in wry amusement. "The Doctor can pretty much take care of himself, but you misunderstood my question. Why are you doing this for me?"

Ianto flushed and looked away, staring fixedly at the wall. "I don't expect you to believe me, and I know you don't feel the same, but I....I would never do anything to betray you. Not intentionally."

"Ianto..."

Jack's low, sexy growl was so familiar that Ianto couldn't help turning his head towards him, only to have his mouth captured in a fierce kiss. He surrendered willingly, with his whole being, wanting to have one last reminder before Jack left forever with the Doctor. So when Jack finally released his mouth, he couldn't help chasing it with his own, only opening his eyes when he heard that low growl again.

"I love you, Ianto Jones, and when we get out of this mess, I'm holding you to that date. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, sir," Ianto said, dazed, and leaned forward to nip at Jack's bottom lip. "Don't want to wait." He pressed his hips forward, trying to find some friction for his aching cock, and heard Jack groan as he encountered an equally hard bulge in Jack's pants.

"Wanton," Jack accused, but there was laughter in his voice and he devoured Ianto's mouth again.

Ianto had never thought to hear that laugh again and he had to have more: more kisses, more skin, more Jack. His hands scrabbled at Jack's braces and belt, then opened his trousers enough to get a hand inside and close it over the beautifully hot length of Jack's cock. Jack groaned, and then his hands were inside Ianto's trousers, cupping his arse and pulling his body closer. One damp finger stroked over his entrance and that was enough, that was _it_ , and Ianto was coming hard in his pants, as if he was a randy teenager again. Jack groaned, releasing Ianto's mouth, and then he was sucking and biting Ianto's neck just above his shirt collar, and it was nearly enough to make him come again as he felt Jack spill over his fist.

He groaned and dropped his forehead to rest on Jack's shoulder, panting as if he'd run a couple miles. Jack's arms folded close around him and there was teasing in his voice as he said, "Too bad they were looping the camera. I wouldn't mind capturing that footage for my personal collection." He pressed a kiss against Ianto's ear. "Maybe we can have a repeat performance soon."

Reality forced its way into Ianto's sex-fogged brain and his throat tightened at the realization that this was probably the last time he'd have Jack. He committed the encounter to memory even as he smiled at Jack and agreed, then tried to set himself to rights. His briefs were unpleasantly damp but he ignored that as his PDA pinged for his attention. "That's Tosh; they're ready with the distraction, sir."

Jack snapped his braces back into place and fastened his trousers "Then let's go."

Ianto cautiously pushed the cell door opened and led the way down the corridor. Before they could reach the ladder to the main Hub, however, Linley suddenly appeared from the shadows, Jack's gun in her hand.

"That'll be quite enough, Mr Jones," she said coolly, aiming the gun squarely at his chest. "Don't move, Captain Harkness, or I'll put a bullet right through his heart."

Ianto froze and beside him he felt Jack go equally still. The woman's eyes were lit with a fanatical light and he felt a cold certainty that she would kill them without hesitation.

"You were far cleverer than I thought, Mr Jones, although it's partly my own fault. I forgot to read the report on your psychic training, about your adaptive response. I don't know how you managed it, but UNIT is here, and they've taken over the main part of the Hub."

Ianto felt a surge of fondness and admiration for Toshiko, and some of that must have shown on his face as Linley's eyes narrowed.

"It's no use hoping for their rescue; I've not come this close to finding and destroying the Doctor to give up now. I've sealed the door to this level and by the time they open it, we'll be gone."

"What makes you think we'll help you?" Jack demanded.

"This." Linley jerked the gun up and fired, and Jack fell to the ground, a bullet hole between his eyes. _Just like Lisa_ , Ianto thought in horror, dropping to his knees next to the body. He looked up at Linley as she stood over him with the gun, his body shaking with impotent fury.

"Why did you do that?"

"He's much easier to handle now," Linley said coolly. "Come, Mr Jones; you've read his file. You know he's coming back."

He glared at her, thinking that Jack's immortality didn't make it easier to watch him die, but knew that she wouldn't care. "And what about me? Are you going to shoot me as well?"

"No, Mr Jones; you're far too useful to me alive." With her free hand, Linley pulled the paperweight from her desk out of her pocket and held it up. "You may have broken my previous implant, but no matter. We'll simply start again." She concentrated her attention on the paperweight and, to his surprise, it started glowing. Then she looked at him, her eyes boring into his.

"Captain Harkness is a threat to Queen and County, Mr Jones. He must be cuffed and taken to a secure facility," she said firmly. "For the good of all, Mr Jones. Secure the threat."

Ianto could feel the weight of her words pressing down on him, could hear them echoing inside his skull, but he knew that she was wrong. _Jack isn't a threat_ , he told himself. _Jack would never be a threat._ Over and over, he repeated the thought, like a mantra. He could feel the external pressure increase, bowing his body over as he clasped his head in hands, but still he resisted. There was more noise, metal being wrenched apart and shouting. He could smell the smoke, hear the clanking footsteps coming down the hall, and he was trapped, pinned under the wall, unable to move. Someone close by whispered his name, and it sounded like Jack, but Jack hadn't been there. Jack was with the Doctor and he was a threat - no, Jack was _not_ a threat, could not be. _Jack loves me_.

He pushed back against the pressure, hard. There was a muffled explosion and a scream of pure fury, then the sound of a gunshot echoed through the corridor. The pressure abruptly disappeared and he pitched forward onto Jack's body, welcoming the blessed darkness.

* * *

 

Ianto slowly drifted into consciousness, his head aching as if he'd been on a bender, although his mouth didn't have that awful alcohol taste. He tried to remember what he'd been doing to get this drunk. A fuzzy image of Director Linley and a glowing rock flitted through his mind, along with a memory of intense pain. _I should be dead_ , he thought. _Why aren't I dead?_

That was surprising enough to make him open his eyes, blinking against the bright light before he closed them again with a groan.

"He's awake!" an unfamiliar female voice said somewhere to his left.

"About bloody time; I'm not running a sodding hospital here." That was Owen, his voice irritated as usual, but his hands were gentle as he took Ianto's pulse. "Headache? Don't nod, your head will probably pop off. Just squeeze my hand." Ianto squeezed. "Right. Martha's putting something in your drip; should start feeling better in a tick. Lights are off so try opening those eyes again."

Ianto slowly opened his eyes and blinked to bring things back into focus, trying to sort through his memories. The last thing he remembered was unbearable pressure, then the sound of a gunshot. "Why aren't I dead?" he asked out loud as Owen flashed a penlight into each eye.

"That's a very good question, Mr Ianto Jones," said another unfamiliar voice, this one male, from above him. He realized that he was in the autopsy bay and turned his head to see an unfamiliar man standing at the railing, looking down at him with bird-like curiosity in his eyes. "Pressure like that, your brain should have been scrambled like an egg. Well, not like an egg, exactly. More like a balloon popping. Well, maybe not a balloon - "

"Hush, you're not helping," said the unfamiliar female voice again, and Ianto turned his head to see a woman in a lab coat standing on his other side, smiling at him. "Hello, Ianto. I'm Martha, and I've been helping Owen take care of you."

Ianto glanced down to see that he was dressed in scrubs. "How long...?"

"Two days," said the man above them helpfully. "Not too bad, considering you nearly died."

Died - dead - Jack was dead! He looked around the room anxiously. "Jack? Where is he? He was dead..."

"Didn't last long, and he's been underfoot since you were brought up here. Only left your side to see UNIT out. Oi!" he hollered in the direction of the main Hub and Ianto winced. "Harkness! Tea-boy's back with us!"

"Director Linley?" Ianto asked, worried for Jack's safety as long as she was around.

"Dead," Owen said shortly. "Shot herself, and good riddance."

"Quite remarkable," the man above said contemplatively. "Not only did you break her original psychic implant, not only did you successfully resist her second attempt, but when you pushed back, you made the psychic thingamabob she was channelling through explode, ending her link to the others."

"Others?" Ianto asked, bewildered.

"Seven other former Torchwood employees blacked out at the same time as you," Martha said. "They were working for UNIT, the Prime Minister and other government organizations, even in the Queen's household. It looks like Director Linley was building herself a powerbase, in addition to her obsessed vendetta against the Doctor."

"Are they all right?"

She nodded. "They all regained consciousness within a few hours, understandably upset at what they'd done under her instructions." She looked closely at him. "Are _you_ all right?"

"I've got a hell of a migraine, and my brains feel a bit scrambled - "

"Aha!" said the man at the railing triumphantly.

Martha rolled her eyes. "Doctor, you are _not_ helping."

" - but other than that..." What she'd said penetrated his jumbled mind and he turned to stare back up at the young man in the suit and improbable trainers, dumbfounded. " _You're_ the Doctor?"

He nodded with a bit of a smile. "Bit of a shock, eh?"

"You're younger than I thought," Ianto said honestly, "and taller."

He blushed as he realized what he'd said, and who he'd said it to, but it was as if the filter between his brain and his mouth had shorted out. The Doctor beamed down at him, a maniacal sort of grin that should have alarmed Ianto but made him want to return that smile instead.

"Did you hear that, Martha?" the Doctor said, preening. "Young and tall, those were his exact words. A remarkably astute young man - no wonder Jack likes him so much." He grinned at Ianto again. "Would you like to take a trip in the TARDIS, Mr Jones? Just one, mind you, because I can't be running people all over the universe, but I expect you'd like Barcelona, everybody does. The planet, not the city. Or say! I know! The library at Alexandria - every archivist who's been on the TARDIS likes that one! Only, come to think of it, I haven't actually _had_ an archivist onboard. Oh well, first time for everything!"

"Hands off, Doctor," Jack said, appearing at the top of the stairs, with Gwen and Tosh behind him. "I saw him first." He ran down the stairs to Ianto and leaned over to give him a toe-curling kiss, right in front of everyone. Not that Ianto protested in the least.

"Oi!" Owen protested, smacking Jack's shoulder. "No snogging my patients! Might give him a set-back, all that lack of oxygen."

"You could come along, Jack," the Doctor said, persuasively. "Plenty more of the universe to see."

Jack sat on the side of the exam table and took Ianto's hand in his, looking straight into his eyes as he said, "Another time, Doctor. First, I've promised Ianto a normal, old-fashioned date, and that's a promise I intend to keep."

Ianto's eyes widened and he convulsively gripped Jack's hand. "Are you sure, Jack?"

"I'm sure." He leaned forward to brush a kiss over Ianto's lips, murmuring, "I came back for you, remember?"

Ianto smiled. There wasn't anything wrong with his memory, and even if there was, it was all written down in his diary.

The End

 

**Author's Note:**

> Stopwatch Request # 67  
> LJ Username: cageykilo  
> Time frame: AU  
> Inclusions: snow, whiskey, fire  
> Scenarios: Lisa died at Canary Wharf, but Ianto had a different urgent reason to get into Torchwood Three - a trigger implanted by Torchwood One.  
> Special requests/kinks: sex in a cell, physical scars, h/c, Tosh being fabulous  
> Squicks: 'beautiful Welsh vowels,' 51st-century pheromones, Ianto becoming 'undone,' Yan, mpreg, marriage, Gwack


End file.
